Tomb top

ABSTRACT

A memorial burial structure for a grave consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) article with earth mounting supports and personalized digital print that is constructed as a gravestone, burial monument, tomb, burial headstone or marker placed on the memorial site or desired site of the user.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application emanates from a previously filed provisionalapplication 61/152,322, Feb. 13, 2009

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The general objective of the present invention is to provide a polyvinylchloride (PVC) article with earth mounting supports and personalizeddigital print that is constructed as a memorial burial structure such asa gravestone, burial monument, tomb, burial headstone or marker placedon the memorial site of the deceased or a site determined by the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Monuments for graves have traditionally been of stone and over the yearshave varied greatly as to sizes and shapes but, at the present time,most monuments are relatively uniform as to their overall dimensions.

There are objections to stone monuments such as their costs, weight andtheir limited graphical nature, in addition, vandalism, while varyingfrom one locale to another, is unfortunately sufficiently widespread tobe of concern

Of the cited patents, both U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,091 and No. 2,084,521were made of stainless steel, an alteration from traditional stone. Eachdisclosed head sections and base sections in the form of stainless steelsheets with the base section partly filled with concrete and partlyembedded in the ground. In the first named patent, the two shells werebolted together while in the second, the sections were joined by a weld.In both instances, the constructions were open to the objection thatwarping would unavoidably result in the fabrication.

The U.S. Pat. No. 2,095,290 is cited as illustrating anchorage of amarker in the form of a metal plaque substantially flush with theground. A large concrete body had drain passageways through which theanchors extended with the anchors caught by the bottom ends thereof.While the plaque was securely anchored, it was not removable orunlimited in graphical images or color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a memorial burial structure such as a gravestone,burial monument, tomb, burial headstone or marker.

The structure consists of two separate, manufactured, polyvinyl chloride(PVC) flat sheets; one is the headstone and the other sheet is the baseof the headstone of the article. The sheets are perpendicularly joinedto each other by two or more anchoring rod bars such as stainless steelrebar forming the commonly used upright design of a gravestone, burialmonument, tomb, burial headstone or marker used in present daycemeteries. The anchoring rod bars protrude from the memorial burialstructure bottom or underside of the memorial burial structure in orderto attach to the foundation base. The gauged width size of the PVC flatsheet to be used for the device is one and one quarter inches inthickness/or greater. The PVC headstone sheet is cut to the desiredheight and shape determined by the user. The PVC base sheet is cut tocover/conform to the exposed area of the foundation If desired, two ormore sheets can be joined together to increase the width of theheadstone and/or the height size of the headstone base.

Foundation base material used for the memorial site is determined by theuser and/or any governing body of a public or private burialplace/cemetery.

Computerized graphics are then transferred to a vinyl laminated digitalprint adhered by heat onto the polyvinyl chloride (PVC sheet) tocomplete the finished product. The computerized graphics chosen and thearea of decorative graphic design to be displayed is determined by theuser and may cover the entire surface of the PVC headstone sheet and/orthe PVC base sheet. Engraved names, dates or designs may be added ontothe PVC headstone or headstone base if the user chooses to do so.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a graphically designedarticle to mark a grave made of all weather durable materials and earthmounting attachments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts the front and side views of the article as itattaches to the foundation. Each structure is equipped with anchoringrod bars (4) inside the headstone (1) extending through the headstonebase (2) and into the foundation base (3) for secure mounting. Stopwashers (5) are used on the anchoring rod bars as additional support forthe structure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawing in FIG. 1, the monument structure is equippedwith two or more anchoring rod bars (4) classified as stainless steal,or galvanized or epoxy-coated rebar and two or more stop washers (5)classified as stainless steal, or galvanized, or epoxy-coated washers.The anchoring rod bars (4) are inserted into pre-drilled holes of theheadstone (1) and headstone base (2). A setting compound such as but notlimited to PVC cement is used to bond the anchoring rods (4) to theheadstone (1) and headstone base (2). The stop washers (5) will furthersecure or lock the anchoring rod bars (4) inside the headstone (1) andthe headstone base (2). Anchoring rod bars (4) will extend intopre-formed holes in the foundation base (3) to a depth of at least halfof the foundation base (3). In order to easily remove the monument fromthe foundation, no setting compound will be used to secure the headstoneand headstone base to the foundation. Omitting setting compound in thefoundation allows for easy on-site movement of the monument structurewhen necessary.

1. A memorial burial structure comprised of a polyvinyl chlorideheadstone, polyvinyl chloride headstone base, perpendicularly joined toeach other with two or more anchoring rod bars inserted with settingcompound into at least, if not more than seven inches of the height ofthe headstone and headstone base and joined at the bottom of thememorial monument to the foundation base, using the protruding anchoringrod bars without any setting compound. The memorial burial structurewill cover the perimeter of the foundation base. The foundation basewill be pre-drilled to at least half of its depth to accommodate thesize and number of anchoring rod bars. Stop washers secure or lock everyanchoring rod bars inside the headstone and the headstone base.
 2. Thegauged width size of the memorial burial structure recited in claim 1 isdetermined by the user.
 3. The height and shape of the memorial burialstructure recited in claim 1 is determined by the user.
 4. The anchoringrod bars recited in claim 1 are classified as stainless steal,galvanized or epoxy-coated rebar.
 5. The stop washers of the memorialmonument recited in claim 1 are classified as stainless steel,galvanized or epoxy-coated washers.
 6. The anchoring rod bar size isdetermined by the gauged width size of the memorial monument recited inclaim
 2. 7. The length of the anchoring rod bar is determined by theheight of the memorial monument cited in claim 3 and the depth of thefoundation recited in claim
 1. 8. The stop washers recited in claim 1are fitted to any and every anchoring rod bar, according to size, usedfor reinforcement of the memorial burial structure headstone to theheadstone base.
 9. Easy removal of the memorial burial structure fromthe foundation is due to the non-use of setting compound recited inclaim 1, within the pre-drilled foundation holes for the anchoring rodbars.
 10. A personalized computer graphic display is transferred to aself adhesive vinyl laminated digital print onto the polyvinyl chlorideheadstone and headstone base recited in claim
 1. 11. The personalizedcomputer graphic display recited in claim 6 may cover some or all of theexposed exterior headstone and headstone base.
 12. The vinyl laminateddigital print recited in claim 6 provides UV protection.